Over the years, the preferred power source for work machines has been a diesel engine owing to its durability, power output, and fuel economy. As emissions regulations have been applied to off road work machines to reduce oxides of nitrogen and particulates, the fundamental nature of the fluid passing through the engine has changed. Particularly, the intake air resulting from exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) has caused the inlet air temperature to increase substantially. Under certain conditions, the inlet air exceeds the ability of conventional devices' material temperature limitations. Typically, a diesel engine is turbocharged so that the density of the air consumed by the engine is significantly greater than atmospheric. With the increase in pressure, there is also an increase in temperature. When the emissions treatment is added to the normal temperature increase, the inlet to a charge air cooler that is typically used to cool the inlet air and, thus, increase its density, in some cases, approaches or exceeds the material limits of the components. Specifically, the flexible couplings to the inlet of the charge air cooler may be subjected to temperatures beyond their capability. In addition, the internal structure of the charge air cooler, which is typically an air-to-air heat exchanger, may be exceeded.
What is needed in the art, therefore, is the reduction of the inlet air to a charge air cooler allowing better accommodation of the temperature experienced by the component.